Car-axle box



H. HAZEL. Gar Axle Box.

Patented Nov. 16-; I880.

. J IL v in w v I; 111 W I u u Wflmesses:

F w l N.FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D 0.

(Model.)

*ATENT Eric.

HENRY HAZEL, OF GRESSONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,568, dated November 16, 1880.

Application filed J une 7, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HAZEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lressona,

Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, have in-. vented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Oar-Axle Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of caraxle boxes in which means are employed for securing cotton-waste or other fibrous material in the box and below the axle; and it further 1 relates to car-axle boxes in which the axle passes between two sliding plates or followers, the lower one of which has in some instances been arranged to rest upon a spring.

My invention is intended as an improvement upon car-axle boxes thus constructed; and it consists, first, in a railway-car-axle box having formed upon the bottom of the box a partition-bar, with an opening between said bar and the bottom of the box, the said opening extending nearly the length of the latter, the fibrous material being arranged at the sides, or at both the sides and the top, of the bar, and the opening below said bar being adapted for the passage of oil second, in the combination, with the rear walls of acar-axle box, of two sliding partitions, a removable cap attached to the under side of the box, a set-screw passing through said cap, a spring resting upon the cap and acted upon by the set-screw, and a bar or follower arranged between the spring and the lower sliding partition.

My invention is embodied in mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my improved car-axle box. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the plane A A. B B, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view in the plane G O.

The same letters indicate similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In its general form and features my improved car-axle box is similar to those commonly in use on railways. The oil-cellar in such boxes is usually bounded by the plain side walls and bottom of the box, and it happens not infrequently that the absorbent material-usually cotton-wastewhich is neces- Fig. 4 is a sectional view in the plane (Model) box in the oil-cellar a bar or partition, H,

(shown in Figs. 3 and 5,) extending longitudinally in the direction of the axle, nearly or quite across the oil-cellar, and elevated to nearly touch the axle-journal.

An opening, 0, is left beneath the bar H, between it and the bottomof the box, for the purpose of allowing the oil to flow freely be tween the divisions of the cellar formed by the partition. By this partition the oil-cellar is divided into two packing-compartments, into which the waste is placed, though the partition need not be so high as to form an abso lute separation of the absorbent material.

The bar H is cast as a part of the bottom wall of the box, although the said bar might be subsequently inserted and secured thereto, the first-mentioned construction being preferred, and its effect, as maybe readily understood, is to retain in proper position and prevent displacement of the mass of absorbent material, thereby maintaining proper lubrication of the journal at all times and preventing the evils above referred to.

The remaining feature of my invention relates to means for closing, by an adjustable and removable partition, the aperture in the rear wall of the b0x,through which the axle passes. This apertureisnecessarilyextendedbelowthespace occupied by the axle in its normal position, in order to allow the box to be elevated in relation to the axle when necessary to remove or adjust the brasses which form the journalbearing in the box. For this reason it has been found necessary to insert a partition at the rear, which shall close the opening around the axle and prevent the outflow of oil when the box is filled, which partition should be re-' movable, and to a certain extent automatically adjustable to the axle. To accomplish this result 1 construct the box with a double rear wall, or with a wall having a wide slot or opening extending vertically through it, as shown at T, Fig. 3. Into this opening I fit a vertically-sliding partition, preferably formed of brass orBabbitt metal, composed of two sections, I and J, meeting at a horizontal line of division through a central perforation fitted to the axle-journal. The two sections of the partition overlap at the meeting-points, each being recessed on adjacent sides to form a close sliding joint.

The two sections I and J, when placed in the slot T, meet around the axle, forming a substantially oil-tight wall covering the rear opening of the box around the axle. The upper section, I, rests by gravity upon the lower section, J, and may be drawn out above at will, while the lower section is adjustably and removably retained in position by the following mechanism: A lower cap, V, is secured by removable bolts to the under side of the box across the opening of the slot T. Upon the cap V, within the slot, is placed a bowshaped spring, S, with its convex side downward, and upon the spring, resting upon its ends, a bar, K, of iron or steel, fitting loosely in the slot. Upon this bar rests the lower edge of the section J of the partition. It will be seen that the section J has thus, by means of the spring S, a certain amount of automatic adjustment to the axle,'but experience has shown this insufiicient. I therefore provide a further means of positive adjustment in a set-screw, W, passing vertically from below, through the cap V, against the convex surface of the spring. By this means any wear may be taken up and the tension of the spring regulated at will. It will be apparent that the bar K may be dispensed with, as its only use is to form a hard bearing-surface for the spring. The same devices may be used to hold the upper section, I, of the partition against the axle from above when, by dirt or other causes, the section I fails to act by gravity. The construction of the parts preserves a tight partition, covering the rear opening of the box, which automatically adjusts itself to the ordinary conditions of use and may be positively adjusted at will, and which is entirely removable when necessary.

I am aware that a divided partition has been before used for this purpose, and such, broadly, I disclaim.

- Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A railway-caraxle box having formed upon the bottom of the box a partition-bar, with an opening between said bar and the bottom of the box, said opening extending nearly the length of the latter, the fibrous material being arranged at the side, or at both the sides, and the opening below said bar being adapted for the passage of oil, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the rear walls of a car-axle box, the sliding partitions I J, the removable cap V, a set-screw, W, passing through said cap, a spring resting upon the cap and acted upon by the set-screw, and a bar or follower, K, arranged between the spring and the lower sliding partition, J, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. HAZEL. [L. s.] Witnesses:

G. P. KELLY, OHAs. J. CHRISTIAN. 

